It's six weeks since the major upgrade of the CBS radio handsets took place. Today we met with Phil the engineer in the CCTV Control Room down in County Hall to complete the exercise with a database update of information about the 200 plus network handsets. The network computers are in the actual control room, on a long desktop housing CCTV screens and their controllers, radio handsets on different talk groups blasting out their message exchanges, all facing a huge wall with more than two dozen huge video screens containing images linked to CCTV cameras across the city centre and beyond. At the other end of the room is another wall of screens displaying images of road junctions around the city, staffed by the different team. It's overwhelming at first, all the flickering images and noise from radio communications. It's a debilitating challenge when you have to concentrate on doing something with lots of detail. I admire those who have to work in this enervating environment day after day.
I was seated adjacent to the SafetyNet database screen for information checking. The operator to my left took calls relating to opening and closing the security barriers for regulating vehicle traffic in the pedestrian zone. The room heard the conversation between him and the driver of a van from a company called 'French' who was demanding to be let into the pedestrian zone for an out of access hours delivery, and refusing to remove his vehicle from where it was obstructing emergency services access. The operator politely refused his demands and was treated to a torrent of obscene abuse audible to the whole room. Everyone present jeered with derision. The driver was told to move or expect a visit from a mobile police patrol, and only then did he reverse his van back out into the traffic at the bottom end of St Mary Street,
This task was long overdue, as we had problems piecing together a totally correct account of all our radios, in active use, being repaired, broken beyond repair, lost or stolen. Not having a single information system logging all changes over the past three years, whether temporary or permanent, made the audit process into a constantly moving target. I managed to build an information while pursuing the working data, and over time have reduced the number of unknowns. piecing together 100% of the information, however, is a lot harder than piecing together the first 95%. After last minute revision yesterday and this morning while waiting for Phil to arrive, we were ready to go. The job took him six hours non-stop, including troubleshooting anomalies.
With my part in the process completed, I went home after four and a half hours, glad to return to the chore of cooking supper. As I arrived at the front door, I completely failed to notice that our new front gate had been installed while I was out. Admittedly it was dark, and the gate is painted black, but the finished job gives the house exterior such a right feel, blending in to the point of being unremarkably 'normal'. making it look just like it did before the street was stripped of its railings to help with the war effort, some seventy years ago.
With my part in the process completed, I went home after four and a half hours, glad to return to the chore of cooking supper. As I arrived at the front door, I completely failed to notice that our new front gate had been installed while I was out. Admittedly it was dark, and the gate is painted black, but the finished job gives the house exterior such a right feel, blending in to the point of being unremarkably 'normal'. making it look just like it did before the street was stripped of its railings to help with the war effort, some seventy years ago.
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